Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.
Santa Barbara, Calif. (February 19, 2026) – The Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara (AFSB), the Rotary Club of Santa Ynez Valley, and the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North are pleased to announce the 2026 Santa Barbara County High School Architectural Design Competition scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at two locations: Allan Hancock College (North County) and Santa Barbara City College (South County).
Over the past 35 years, thousands of students have gone through this rigorous and fun design challenge. Phase one of this event is the Design Charrette, a fast-paced, and totally creative experience of designing a building or space in a limited amount of time. Past design charrettes have challenged students to create a myriad of buildings, including a tiny home community, a community center, a youth hostel, homes for the homeless, a University Research Center in the Mojave Desert, and a beach house. The students’ designs are based on a written design program, which is presented at the beginning of the Charrette Day.
Following the Charrette, the students’ work is judged by a panel of design professionals to determine the 12 finalists. The finalists will move ahead to Phase Two of the Competition, the Juried Review, on February 28th at the Elverhoj Museum in Solvang, where they will present and defend their projects to a Jury of Architectural Educators and Professionals. The Jury determines the winners of the competition, and the prizes and awards are presented.
The competition originated in 1991 by Solvang Architect David Goldstien and his wife Linda to introduce students to the importance of design in a built environment, and to expose them to the architecture profession. Goldstien is still involved in organizing the event, along with the Competition’s long-time sponsors, the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara, Rotary Club of Santa Ynez Valley, and Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North. Architect Rebecca Wiscombe leads the volunteers and Committee members, which includes the 2000 competition winner, Jacob Niksto, who went on to receive a scholarship from AFSB to study architecture in college and is now a partner in the Santa Barbara architectural firm, Becker Henson Niksto. According to Niksto, “The competition is a great introduction to the field of architecture and design for our local high school students. I’m excited to see the next generation start to explore opportunities in the design field and realize just how much they can influence our built environment.” We would like to thank our 2026 sponsors and supporters: Allan Hancock College, Elverhoj Museum, Santa Barbara City College, Rotary Club of Santa Barbara North, Rotary Club of Santa Ynez Valley, Ensberg Jacobs Design, Inc., Tri-Co Reprographics, and Inklings Printing. PHOTO OPPORTUNTIES:Tuesday, February 24th, Design Charrettes, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.Santa Barbara City College, Rooms A161 & A162Allan Hancock College, Building G, Room 106
Saturday, February 28th, Juried Review (Finals!), 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Elverhoj Museum, SolvangWinners will be announced after February 28, 2026. Photos will also be available.
